Affiliation, Permanence, and Disengagement Factors to the Al-Shabaab Terrorist Group in Mozambique: An Exploratory Study/ Mozambik’te El-Şebab Terör Örgütüne Katılım, Devamlılık ve Ayrılma Faktörleri: Keşfedici Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Terörizm, etkisi giderek artan küresel bir tehdit olup birçok ülkeyi etkilemektedir. Mozambik’te 2017–2023 yılları arasında terör faaliyetleri 3.500’den fazla can kaybına ve yaklaşık 900.000 kişinin yerinden edilmesine yol açmıştır. Bu durum, etkili önleme ve müdahale stratejilerinin geliştirilmesi için terörist örgütlere katılımın altında yatan dinamiklerin anlaşılmasının aciliyetini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu nitel keşfedici çalışma, Mozambik’te El-Şebab örgütüne katılım, örgütte kalma ve örgütten ayrılma süreçlerini etkileyen faktörleri incelemektedir. Araştırmaya, terörle bağlantılı suçlardan hüküm giymiş ve cezaevinde bulunan 25–76 yaşları arasında 11 erkek katılımcı derinlemesine görüşmeler yoluyla dahil edilmiştir. Bulgular, örgüte ilk katılımda temel belirleyicilerin işe alım ve zorlamanın olduğunu göstermektedir. Örgütte devamlılık büyük ölçüde korku ve topluma yeniden entegrasyon güçlüklerine bağlanmaktadır. Örgütten ayrılma ise çoğunlukla karşılanmayan beklentilere yönelik hayal kırıklığı ve artan karşı-terör politikalarının etkisiyle ortaya çıkmaktadır. Sonuçlar, yerel toplulukları önceleyen istihdam fırsatlarının oluşturulması, örgütten ayrılan bireyler için af politikalarının uygulanması ve sosyal destek ile izleme sağlayan yeniden entegrasyon merkezlerinin geliştirilmesi gibi kapsamlı karşı-terör stratejilerine yatırım yapılmasının önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

• Katılım
• Devamlılık
• Ayrılma
• Terörizm
• Mozambik

Supporting Institution

University of Minho

Ethical Statement

All ethical principles for research were observed, as stated in one of the sections of the article.

Thanks

All ethical principles for research were observed, as stated in one of the sections of the article.

Affiliation, Permanence, and Disengagement Factors to the Al-Shabaab Terrorist Group in Mozambique: An Exploratory Study/ Mozambik’te El-Şebab Terör Örgütüne Katılım, Devamlılık ve Ayrılma Faktörleri: Keşfedici Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Terrorism is a global threat with an expanding impact across various nations. In Mozambique, between 2017 and 2023, terrorist activity resulted in over 3,500 deaths and displaced nearly 900,000 individuals. This highlights the urgent need to understand the underlying dynamics of terrorist involvement to inform effective prevention and intervention strategies. This qualitative exploratory study examines the factors influencing affiliation, continued participation, and disengagement among Al-Shabaab members in Mozambique. Eleven male participants, aged 25 to 76, convicted and imprisoned for terrorism-related crimes, took part in depth interviews. The findings revealed that recruitment and coercion were primary drivers of initial involvement. Continued engagement was largely attributed to fear and challenges with social reintegration. Disengagement was often triggered by disillusionment with unmet expectations and the growing impact of counter-terrorism policies. The results emphasize the importance of investing in comprehensive counterterrorism strategies, including the creation of job opportunities prioritizing local communities, the implementation of amnesty policies for disengaged individuals, and the development of reintegration centers offering social support and monitoring.

Keywords

• Permanence
• Disengagement
• Terrorism
• Mozambique
• Affiliation

Supporting Institution

University of Minho

Ethical Statement

All ethical principles for research were observed, as stated in one of the sections of the article.

Thanks

All ethical principles for research were observed, as stated in one of the sections of the article.

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